EP1133406B1 - Device for fixing a removable seat on a motor vehicle floor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for fixing a removable seat on a vehicle floor automobile.

For certain types of motor vehicles, and especially for commercial vehicles, ability to easily remove and reinstall certain seats such as the back seat.

In this way we can adapt the configuration of the motor vehicle, for example as desired carry few people and lots of equipment, or Conversely.

The removable seat fixing device described by English patent 2,272,251 includes a cleat spring capable of blocking a first integral rail of the seat relative to a second rail fixed on the motor vehicle floor.

The spring cleat on this device has a large number of pieces, which means that its price returns is high.

In addition, this spring cleat forms a mechanism sensitive to soiling, likely to get caught.

The object of the present invention is to provide a removable seat fixing device which does not have not these drawbacks.

This object of the invention is achieved, as well as other which will appear on reading the description which will follow, with a seat fixing device removable on a motor vehicle floor, remarkable in that it comprises a rail comprising at minus a longitudinal groove to mount it sliding on at least first and second studs guide and blocking fixed on said floor, said groove comprising at least one stop spacer arranged transversely to its length, and in that it comprises at least one latch mounted on said rail. The lock is provided with means for actuating the rail to sliding such as between an open position and a closed position of the lock, an element of the means rail actuation is likely to move by relative to the rail, being against a fixed member by relative to the floor, to slide the rail up to that said spacer comes up against one of said studs and then block this spacer against this stud.

The member fixed relative to the floor is said stud and the element of the actuating means is a slide intended to move longitudinally by report to said rail for, being against a fixed member relative to the floor, block the said spacer against said stud.

According to other features of the invention, said lock comprises an actuating handle mounted rotating on said rail, a slide intended to be move longitudinally with respect to said rail to come and block at least said first stud against said spacer and, articulated between said handle and said slide, a connecting rod.

According to other features of the invention, said rail is hollow, said first and second studs are intended to be positioned inside said rail, and said slide is capable of moving at inside said rail.

According to other features of the invention, when said lock is in the closed position, parts said slide and / or said spacer (s) are placed between the head (s) of said first (said) stud (s) and said rail, so as to remove the transverse play of said rail relative to said first (to said) stud (s).

According to still other characteristics of the invention, said groove comprises at least first and second enlarged parts allowing to introduce said rail transversely onto said first and second studs.

Thanks to these characteristics, a device for fixing a removable seat on a automobile floor whose design is extremely simple, whose use is very ergonomic and whose reliability is sufficient to be able to consider use it in particular for commercial vehicles.

• la figure 1 est une vue partielle en perspective d'une banquette de véhicule automobile équipée de deux dispositifs de fixation selon l'invention;
• la figure 2 est une vue agrandie en perspective d'un dispositif de fixation selon l'invention;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne III-III du dispositif de fixation de la figure 2 lorsqu'il est positionné sur deux goujons de guidage et de blocage fixés sur le plancher d'un véhicule automobile, le verrou de ce dispositif étant en position ouverte;
• la figure 4 est analogue à la figure 3, à ceci près que le verrou est en position fermée.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the description which follows and on examining the appended drawing in which:

• Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a motor vehicle seat equipped with two fastening devices according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a fixing device according to the invention;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view along line III-III of the fixing device of Figure 2 when positioned on two guide and blocking studs fixed to the floor of a motor vehicle, the latch of this device being in the open position;
• Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3, except that the latch is in the closed position.

In these figures, numerical references identical represent organs or elements identical or analogous.

We now refer to Figure 1, on which a motor vehicle seat 1 has been shown, such as a utility vehicle rear seat.

As can be seen in this figure, this bench 1 typically has a backrest 2 and a seat 3 supported by a rigid structure 4.

This rigid structure rests at its ends on two fixing devices 5, 5 'according to the invention, intended to allow the seat 1 to be removably attached on the floor 6 (see figures 3, 4) of a vehicle automobile.

This rigid structure can also rest, as this is shown, on intermediate rails classics 7, 7 'intended to improve the solidity of all.

The rigid structure 4 can possibly be designed so that the seat 1 can be folded down while maintaining the fastening devices 5, 5 ', and the intermediate rails 7, 7 'in place on the floor 6.

We now refer to Figure 2, on which there is shown an enlarged view of a device for attachment 5 according to the invention.

As can be seen in this figure, this device comprises a hollow rail 15 defining a substantially parallelepiped volume.

This hollow rail has a longitudinal groove 16 formed along the entire length of its lower wall 17, intended to come opposite the floor 6.

This longitudinal groove has a first widened part 18 separated by a small distance of one 19 of the two ends of the rail 15, as well as a second enlarged part 20 open on the other end Rail 21

Rounded edges 25 and 26 connect respectively the first 18 and second 20 parts extended to the rest of the longitudinal groove 16.

First 30 and second 31 spacers are fixed inside the rail 15 transversely to the length of groove 16, at the same distance d1 rounded edges 25 and 26 respectively.

On its upper wall 35 opposite its wall 17, the rail 15 has a substantially shaped opening rectangular 36 which accommodates a lock 37.

This lock comprises an actuating handle 38 of substantially rectangular in shape, rotatably mounted inside the two side walls 39, 40 of the rail 15.

A connecting rod 41, of substantially rectangular shape and of width less than that of the interior of the rail 15, is rotatably mounted at one of its ends on the operating handle 38.

The other end of this connecting rod is mounted rotatable on a slide 45 capable of moving inside the rail 15.

This slide has a U-shaped section corresponding to the inner section of the rail 15, the opening of this U being placed upwards (i.e. facing the wall 35 of the rail), and it has a recess 46 on its edge opposite the first enlarged part 18.

The thickness of this edge of the slide is substantially equal to that of the first 30 and second 31 spacers.

The actuating handle 38, the connecting rod 41 and the slide 45 are dimensioned so that a folding of the actuating handle 38 against the face 35 of rail 15 towards its end 19 a to bring the slide 45 to a position where its recess 46 is located substantially to the right of rounded edges 25.

All of the organs described above can be manufactured for example by folding steel sheets.

The first 30 and second 31 spacers can be brought back inside the rail 15 by welding.

The articulation of the actuating handle 38 on the rail 15, as well as the articulation of the connecting rod 41 on this handle and on the slide 45 can be produced in any conventional manner, known to those skilled in the art.

We now refer to Figures 3 and 4, on which are shown the fixing device according to the invention when positioned on the floor 6 of a motor vehicle, the lock 37 being in the open and closed positions respectively. The bench 1 is not shown, but it is necessary heard that it is placed above the fixing device.

In these figures, the direction of travel of the vehicle is towards the left.

As can be seen in these figures, the rail 15 is intended to cooperate with first 50 and second 51 guide and locking studs fixed in the floor 6 in a recessed part 55 thereof.

The distance d2 separating these studs is substantially equal to that which separates the median zones from the first 18 and second 20 widened parts of groove 16 (see figure 2).

These studs each have a head 56, 57 of diameter less than the width of the first 18 and second 20 widened parts, and greater than the width of the narrow part of the groove 16.

The height h of these heads is substantially equal to the distance between the spacers 30, 31 of inside the wall 35 of the rail 15.

To install the bench seat 1 on the floor 6, we proceed as follows.

With the lock in the open position (i.e. the actuating handle 38 being separated by a maximum of the end 19 of the rail 15), the rail 15 is introduced transversely on the first 50 and second 51 studs, so these studs penetrate respectively in the first 18 and second 20 widened parts of groove 16, then come lean against the inside of the wall 35 of the rail 15 (figure 3).

Then fold the actuating handle 38 against the wall 35 of the rail 15 in the direction of its end 19. This has the effect of bringing the hollowed out part 46 of the slide 45 against the first stud 50.

Continuing this movement of the handle actuation, the rail 15 is slid relative to to studs 50, 51 (to the left in Figures 3 and 4).

This is made easier by the rounded edges 25, 26 which allow the rail 15 to slide well over the studs.

This rail is thus brought to a position of longitudinal locking, corresponding to the drawdown complete with handle 38 on wall 35, where the first spacer 30 and slide 45 enclose the first stud 50, and where the second spacer 31 abuts against the second stud 51 (Figure 4).

In doing so, we also get a block transverse of the rail 15 with respect to the floor 6.

Indeed, we can notice that the first spacer 30 and slide 45 are placed partially under the head 56 of the first stud 51, thus blocking it against the wall 35 of the rail 15.

Likewise, the second spacer 31 blocks the head 57 of the second stud 51 against the wall 35.

This eliminates the transverse play of the rail 15 relative to floor 6.

To disengage the fixing device according to the invention in order to remove the seat 1 from the inside of the motor vehicle, the operations are carried out described above in reverse order.

Once the bench seat 1 is removed, we obtain optimal transport volume since the studs 50, 51 are set back relative to the floor 6.

As we can now understand, the device fastening according to the invention is easy and quick to implement: the simple folding of the handle actuation 38 allows both to slide the rail 15 to its blocking position and block it effectively.

This fixing device also offers a large security, given on the one hand that it is very easy visually assess whether the blocking has been carried out correctly, and on the other hand that the slide 45 cannot spontaneously deviate from its blocking position.

Finally, the very simple design of this device allows not only to manufacture it at low cost, but still to guarantee its reliability.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown which was given only as an example.

For example, rail 15 could have several grooves arranged one behind the others, and / or parallel to each other.

This is also how these grooves could be located on one (or both) side walls of the rail 15. In this case, they would cooperate with studs whose axes are horizontal.

This is also how rail 15 could cooperate with more than two studs.

This is also how we could climb more a rail lock.

This is also how the rail 15 could not include only the first spacer 30. In this case, the second stud 51 would only have a locking function transverse.

This is also how we could use a solid rail intended to be crossed by the studs. In in this case, the bolt slide would be placed at outside the rail.

This is also how we could envisage a seat with one or more than two safety devices fixing according to the invention.

Claims (7)

1. Fixing device (5, 5') for a removable seat (1) on a floor (6) of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a rail (15) containing at least one longitudinal groove (16) allowing it to be mounted sliding on at least two guiding and locking studs (50, 51) fixed on said floor (6), said groove (16) containing at least one thrust cross-piece (30, 31) disposed transversely to its length, and in that it contains at least one bolt (37) mounted on said rail (15), said bolt (37) being provided with means (38, 41, 45) of operating the rail sliding for example between an open and a closed position of the bolt (37), an element (45) of the means for operating the rail is able to move relative to the rail, being against an organ (50) which is fixed relative to the floor (6), in order to cause the rail to slide until said cross-piece (30) comes to rest against one (50) of said studs, then lock this cross-piece against this stud.
2. Fixing device (5,5') according to claim 1, characterized in that the organ which is fixed relative to the floor is said stud (50) and the element of the operating means is a slider (45) intended to move longitudinally relative to said rail (15) in order that, being against an organ which is fixed relative to the floor, it locks said cross-piece (30) against said stud (50).
3. Fixing device (5, 5') according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said bolt (37) includes an operating handle (38) mounted rotary on said rail (15), a slider (45) intended to move longitudinally relative to said rail (15) in order to lock said cross-piece (30) against said stud (50) and, articulated between said handle (38) and said slider (45), a connecting rod (41).
4. Fixing device (5, 5') according to any one of claims 1 or 3, characterized in that said rail (15) is hollow, in that said studs (50, 51) are intended to be positioned inside said rail (15), and in that said slider (45) is able to move inside said rail (15).
5. Fixing device (5, 5') according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that when said bolt (37) is in closed position, parts of said slider (45) and/or of said cross-piece(s) (30, 31) are placed between the heads (56, 57) of said stud(s) (50, 51) and said rail (15) so as to suppress the side play of said rail (15) relative to said studs (50,51).
6. Fixing device (5, 5') according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said groove (16) contains at least first (18) and second (20) widened parts permitting the transverse introduction of said rail (15) on said studs (50, 51).
7. Removable seat (1) for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it contains at least one fixing device (5, 5') according to any one of the preceding claims.

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